SMS Controller Kit, $45 @ Altronics

the mind boggles with the whacky applications you could use this for...

This SMS controller allows you to be notified anywhere in the world when a particular condition occurs (for instance, you could use it to notify you when your house alarm triggers, or any time automated equipment starts). It also allows you to return SMS's to the unit effectively "controlling" the device its attached to. So this means you could switch equipment on and off or even perform specific tasks anywhere around the globe!

This kit is designed to operate with the Nokia 3210, 3310, 5110 and 6110 because of their common serial data interface control. These phones are relatively common on the second hand market and can easily be sourced online via eBay etc.

Before buying this project be aware of the limitations the SMS network presents. It does not allow real time control of devices, SMS's may take anywhere between a few seconds to tens of seconds to be delivered. This means it is not suitable for rapidly changing inputs. Secondly, be sure to use the kit with a pre-paid phone ensuring any malfunctions that could possibly occur doesnt cost you a fortune.

An additional use would be to mount it in your car in conjunction with your car alarm to provide not only notification when your alarm sounds, but also the ability to shut the car down if wired into your immobiliser appropriately. This kit literally has endless applications!

Features:Works with popular Nokia brand phonesEight open collector outputsFour digital inputsUser programmable plain text message controlsCommunicate from any other mobilePassword protectionOn-board phone power supplyPerfect for alarm panelsCan be utilised in cars as a mobile alarm notification/ECU shutdown device

Seems that Silicon Chip started the momentum on this unit when they did an article on it way back in 2004. I suspect that probably tells you a lot more about how to make it work but they've only made part of the article publically available - to get to the rest you have to pay $8.80 for access to that issue. They've probably gone further down the line and made part 2 in another issue or something like that. I suspect if you did a search around you could probably find a copy - a photocopy of the article was aparently passed on to purchasers from Jaycar.

There's a fairly long thread on using this and similar units to start and monitor your car (US style).

One on Mactalk where the discussion is about using something like this to control house functions - unfortunately not particularly useful though.

yeah, generally these kind of kits are pre-packaged versions of projects from magazines like Silicon Chip and Electronics Australia... they usually contain all the electronic components, pre-made circuit boards, and instructions... bigger kits will usually come with cases and printed panels too...

Altronics and Jaycar still stock quite a few, Dick Smith Electronics still has some but not a big range like they once did...

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